The business behind the show

'Up in the Air' takes off in limited release as box office keeps booming

December 6, 2009 | 11:29
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Strong reviews and an early awards win drove "Up in the Air" to a spectacular takeoff, as the George Clooney drama sold a studio-estimated $1.2 million worth of tickets in just 15 theaters.

That's the third-biggest opening in limited release for any movie this year and by far the most impressive debut of any film this weekend.

Despite soft starts for "Brothers," "Armored," "Everybody's Fine" and "Transylmania," overall ticket sales grew 22.6% from the same weekend a year ago, according to Hollywood.com. The weekend after Thanksgiving is traditionally a very slow one at the box office.

"Up in the Air" collected an average of $79,000 at each of its 15 theaters. That's more than any other movie this year except "The Princess and the Frog" -- which has benefited over the last two weeks from ticket prices as high as $50 for a multi-hour "experience" at two locations in Los Angeles and New York -- and "Precious." It's also more than director Jason Reitman's previous two pictures, "Juno" and "Thank You for Smoking," which went on to gross $143.5 million and $24.8 million, respectively.

Paramount, which co-financed "Up in the Air" with Montecito Picture Co. at a cost of $25 million, will expand the movie over the next few weeks until it is playing nationwide by Christmas.

Alcon Entertainment's "The Blind Side" took the top spot at the box office, as it declined a relatively modest 49% after a spectacular Thanksgiving.

"Brothers," financed by Relativity Media for $26 million and distributed by Lionsgate, opened to a soft $9.7 million. Audiences gave it an average grade of B, according to market research firm CinemaScore. Combined with very mixed reviews from critics, it remained to be seen whether the war drama directed by Jim Sheridan will hold on at the box office or fade quickly.

Overseas, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" remains very strong, grossing $40.7 million this weekend, much more than the $15.7 million it collected domestically. Sony's "2012," meanwhile, took in $35 million overseas, bringing its international total to a phenomenal $517.5 million.

Here are the top 10 movies at the domestic box office, according to studio estimates and Hollywood.com: